CVE-2019-17092 in OpenProject
Summary
by MITRE
An XSS vulnerability in project list in OpenProject before 9.0.4 and 10.x before 10.0.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the sortBy parameter because error messages are mishandled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-17092 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the OpenProject collaboration platform that affects versions prior to 9.0.4 and 10.x prior to 10.0.2. This issue resides in the project list functionality where the sortBy parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of error messages that occur when processing the sortBy parameter, which allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that persist and execute when other users view the project list.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the sortBy parameter in the project list URL, where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into error messages without adequate sanitization or encoding. When the application encounters invalid or malicious input in this parameter, it generates error messages that contain the unsanitized user input, thereby enabling attackers to inject script tags or other HTML content that executes in the victim's browser context. This flaw aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities arising from improper input validation and output encoding, and demonstrates a classic example of how error handling can introduce security weaknesses when user-provided data is not properly escaped or validated.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration from authenticated users. Since OpenProject is commonly used for project management and collaboration in enterprise environments, successful exploitation could compromise sensitive project data, user credentials, and organizational information. The vulnerability affects all users who can access the project list functionality, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where different privilege levels exist. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to restricted project information, especially if the application does not properly implement input validation for the sortBy parameter.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-17092 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all user-provided parameters, particularly those used in sorting and filtering operations. Organizations should immediately upgrade to OpenProject versions 9.0.4 or 10.0.2 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper parameter sanitization, using secure coding practices that escape output data, and employing web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper error handling in web applications, as error messages should never directly incorporate user input without appropriate sanitization, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1211 for privilege escalation through web application vulnerabilities and T1566 for credential harvesting via social engineering and web-based attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring and logging for unusual parameter values in project list requests to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with security standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001.